South Carolina Legislature Advances Transportation, Data Center, and Insurance Reforms in 2025-26 Session

About this episode

The episode discusses the advancements in transportation, data center regulations, and insurance reforms by the South Carolina legislature during the 2025-26 session.

South Carolina's state legislature races toward the close of its 2025-26 regular session, with key bills advancing amid economic optimism and infrastructure pushes. The House recently passed SCDOT Modernization bill S.831, restructuring the Department of Transportation under a single secretary, enabling public-private partnerships for toll-funded projects, and allocating $15 million for a pothole reporting app, now headed to conference committee, according to the South Carolina Policy Council. The Senate advances comprehensive data center regulations in S.867, creating a statewide office to oversee sites, energy costs, and decommissioning while offering brownfield tax incentives. Insurance reforms in H.4817, boosting tax credits for retrofits and premiums while enhancing fraud oversight, also reached the Senate floor. Economically, agriculture remains the Palmetto State's top industry, though farmers brace for potential 2026 shifts after years of floods, droughts, and storms, as noted by the South Carolina Farm Bureau. Duke Energy's merger of its Carolinas and Progress utilities, approved by the Public Service Commission, promises billions in customer savings through lower fuel…

Topics covered

• transportation reforms
• data center regulations
• insurance reforms
• economic outlook
• infrastructure development
• agriculture industry
• utility mergers

Keywords

• South Carolina legislature
• transportation
• data centers
• insurance reforms
• economic optimism
• public-private partnerships
• Duke Energy
• agriculture
• infrastructure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: South Carolina Policy Council, Duke Energy, South Carolina Farm Bureau, Public Service Commission

Places: South Carolina, North Carolina

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